Combined separator and concentrator



(No Model.)

J. D. OOPLEN.

. COMBINED SBPARATORAND GONGBNTRATOR.

No. 397,585. Patented Feb. 12, v1889.

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UNTTED STATES` PATENT OEEicE.

JOHN D. COPLEN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

COMBINED SEPARATOR ANDcoNcr-:NTRA-oa.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,585, dated February 12, 1889. Application filed April l5, 1887. Serial No. 234,872. (No model.)

.'Zo @ZZ whom, t may concern:

' companying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, Which forni a part of this specification.

My invention relates to ore concentrators and separators.

The objects of my invention are, rst, to provide a simple, inexpensive, yet durable and effective, separator and concentrator for treating ores and mineral slimes, and separating from them the valuable portions which float, from any cause, on or in the Water, and which Will then concentrate and collect the same for further treatment; second, to provide a combined separator and eoncentrator for saving the iioatin g values contained in the Water from stamp or other ore-treating mills and placer-sluices and filtering the Water before being discharged, thus preventing' a contamina-tion of the stream into which it is discharged. I attain these objects bythe mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichw Figure l is a section on the line .u .'11, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top view of the entire device. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one of the screenframes With the under gauze in place, but with the upper gauze removed.

Similar letters refer to similar par ts throughout the several views.

A represents the main case, which is preferably rectangular in form and divided into two main compartments, a and b, by the partition c, which extemls from the Jtop to the bottom of the case. This partition is cutaway in the center, making a way, c', for the passage of water and valuable slimes from coinpartment Z) to compartment a.

Compartment b has two semi-partitions, d d, which extend from the top of the ease about two-thirds the distance to the bottom. In these semi-partitions are formed rectangular grooves or recesses d d', in which the adjustable cross-partition e may be placed. There may be two or more pairs of these grooves, as may be required.

Compartment a is divided into two or more smaller compartments by the semi-partitions f f g g and the .filtering-screens h h, which latter rest on sleepers t' c', which are firmly fastened to the semi-partitions f and The filtering-screens are constructed by firmly fastening Wire-gauze over the top and bottom of a rectangular frame, between which top and bottom any suitable filtering material s placed. The filtering-screens are made to entirely iill the openings between the partitions, so-as to prevent anything escaping Without passing through the filtering material, and to assist in accomplishing this object a strip of rubber may be fastened to the under side of the filtering-screens Where they come in contact with the sleepers i. The screens maybe held in position by screws or buttons, and should be provided with small handles to facilitate lifting them out and otherwise handling them.

j is a movable hopper, which conducts the slimes and water and all materials fed to the machine, carrying the same in front of the adjustable semi-partition e, from whence the valuable floating particles pass with the Water through the Way c into compartment a, Where they will remain behind the Semi-nartitiOn f until a sufficient mass has accumulated, when it will sink to the bottom of the compartment, Where it will remain. Any of the valuable particles carried beneath the surface and forced on by the current Will be carried underneath the semi-partitionf and to the screen h, Where they will be checked or lodged in the ilteri ng materials,which will retain them With .other matter not in solution, and deliver the water into the next compartment, through which it passes in the manner described, and is finally discharged through the spout Z.

ln operating, if the vworthless matter is of much greater specific gravity than Water, the adjustable partition eand the hopper j should be placed near the Way c; but as the Worth- IOO .less matter decreases in specific gravity the partition e and the hopper ,j should. be placed i'arther away, so that the worthless matter may be afforded a longer time and space in which to settle. This must be strictly ob= served in operating, Afor the reason that if the worthless particles which should not pass beyond compartment 'b are light and should be discharged near the way c they may be carried into compartment a; but it they are discharged into compartment l) at a proper distance they will readily settle from natural causes, and the result will be a perfect separation. Should the valuable mineral tend to rapid precipitation or settling, then the partii tiene and hopper j should be placed in the pair of grooves or recesses nearest the way c;

or if the valuable minerals are slow to settle then the movable partition e may be entirely removed and the hopper j placed as far from the way c as possible, to allow the silica and other worthless matter as much time and space as possible for settlement in compartment b. Both of these changed positions of the hopper 25 j are` indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, while the water-level in the various compartments is indicated by the lines y 'y in the same figure. The sediment in any ot the compartments may be removed either through the outlets lo or through the top of the case. lters become clicked, they may be removed and replaced by others.

Should the l Having now fully described my in ventiox, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

ll The combination, in a separator and con eentrator, of a receiving-chamber having groeved semi-partitions, a movable hopper located therein, one or more Heat-saving chambers, each having an upwardly extending semi -partition and downwardly extending semi-partitions, and screens located between such ysemi-lmlrtitions, consisting of upper and lower ganzes with an interposed packing oi iiltering material, whereby the wateris caused l to pass upward through the screens, leaving vits suspended material below the screens, substantially as set forth.

2. A combined eoncentrator and separator,

consisting of compartment b, provided with grooved semi-partitions (l d, a movable hop pcigj, sustained thereby, compartment a,hav ing one or more upwardly-extending semipartitions, g, one or more depending' semi partitions, f, and screens 71, located between partitions f and g, and -formed each of an upper and a lower wire-gauze with an interposed y filtering material, substantially as set forth. l In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN D. COPLEN.

7Witnesses: l SANFORD Hohe, l B. L. PoLLocK. 

